🪸 Monitoring and protecting Dambeemangaddee Sea Country

Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation (DAC) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) recently presented joint work on Waddaroo (coral reefs) in Dambeemangaddee Sea Country at the Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) Conference.

DAC’s Edmund (Amon) Jungine, Geoff Neville and Patrick Clune, together with Claire Ross from DBCA, presented a poster highlighting the importance of protecting our Sea Country and the results of long-term coral monitoring in Lalang-gaddam Marine Park.

Photo of Kimberley mob at AMSA Conference 2026.

Dambeemangaddee people are Saltwater People. Our Sea Country is rich in Waddaroo (coral reefs), julum (seagrass) and jindirm (mangroves), which provide important habitat for marine life and hold strong cultural significance for our people.

Monitoring has shown the serious impact of the 2024/25 marine heatwave and coral bleaching event. Coral cover at monitored reefs declined from around 32% in 2022 to just 5% in 2025 – an 84% decline. More than half of surveyed reefs experienced bleaching above 60%, and no surveyed site remained unbleached.

Through joint management of Lalang-gaddam Marine Park, DAC and DBCA bring together DambeemangaddeeTraditional Owner knowledge and western science to monitor these remote reefs, track their recovery and guide future management.

Protecting Waddaroo is part of our responsibility to care for Country. This work helps ensure Dambeemangaddee knowledge continues to guide how our Sea Country is monitored, managed and protected for future generations. 🪸🌊